Prefabricated units



Jan. 16, 1968 I. HINZ 3,363,388

PREFABRICATED UNITS Filed June 28, 1965 3 4 Sheets-Sheet l aIQIQIENQII-ZNQ INVE NT OR. IRENE HINZ BY A TTORNEY.

.Jan. 16, 1968 PREFABRICATED UNITS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 28, 1965Rf M x E w N Nm R EH 0 J n N A E R I Jan. 16, 1968 I. HINZ 3,363,388

PREFABRI CATED UNITS Filed June 28, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 7

INVENTOR.

IRENE HINZ mTORNEY;

Jan. 16, 1968 l. HlNZ PREFABRICATED UNITS 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed June 28,1965 INVENTOR.

v IRENE HINZ kw? ATTORNE United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREMaterial cast as a slab contains reinforcement strips. These strips areformed with depressions and are thereby locked into the cast structure.The strips are made of nailable and screwable material and are situatedat the edges of the slab thereby exposing areas of easy mountmgcapability.

The present invention concerns a prefabricated unit in tile shape of aplate or sla-b made from castable maerr Units of this kind, made forexample from plastics, and in particular plastic foams, from vegetablefibres (straw, textile fibres or the like) in a bonding paste, chipboards, concrete and similar materials, are frequently employed for heatand sound-proofing. As a rule, these units are produced by castingplates or slabs of the required size in suitably shaped moulds.

A disadvantage is that when cast the material crumbles rather easily atthe edges of the plates, with the result that the required insulationeffect is jeopardised and the plates frequently possess insufiici-entmechanical strength.

According to the present invention, this unsatisfactory state of affairscan be remedied in a surprisingly simple manner, by means ofstrip-shaped edge and/or central layer reinforcements moulded into theproduct and held firmly in the cast material.

In brief summary, the invention comprises a slab of cast material andreinforcement strips embedded in the edges of the slab in such a mannerthat they lie completely W thin the faces of the edges and are flushtherewith. The rernforcement strips have depressions recurring overtheir length on two opposite faces, the depressions on one faceregrsterrng with those on the opposite face. These depressrons areinterconnected by holes through the strips. Transverse slots arefurthermore provided. The strips are made of a nailable and screwablematerial. Central reinforcement strips are provided in the slab andthese are doubles of the edge reinforcements, so that the slab can bedivided at these central reinforcements to yield separate slabs eachhaving its own edge reinforcement at the locatron of division.

When the strips have been cast in the slab, they are securely held andprovide stiffening of the slab material and a mounting location on theedge of the slab.

The invention is further described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings which illustrate preferred embodiments by way of example and inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a plan view with part broken away of a prefabricated unit inthe form of a plate or slab having an inset edge and a central-layerreinforcement in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the unit shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a section of the edge reinforcingstrip of the unit shown in FIGS. 1 and FIG. 4 is a perspective viewillustrating a section of th 3,353,388 Patented Jan. 16, 1968 Toocentral-layer reinforcing strip of the unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing a modified form of thecentral-layer reinforcing strip;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of curved section of an edge reinforcingstrip of the type shown in FIG. 5 but of larger width;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a further modification of anedge-reinforcing strip;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a prefabricated unit in accordancewith a further modification in which the reinforcing strip lies flushwith the cast material on the side edge of the plate;

FIG. 9 is a section taken on the line 99 in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a section similar to FIG. 9, through a pre fabricated unit ofthe type illustrated in FIG. 8 but in which the reinforcing stripprojects beyond both sides of the cast material to form a flange.

Referring to the drawings, the prefabricated unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2is generaly designated 1 and is in the form of a rectangular slab orplate made from cast material 2, for example concrete, plastics foam orsimilar material. Embedded flushly in the peripheral face of the castmaterial 2 are two longitudinal edge reinforcing strips 3, 4, and twotransverse edge-reinforcing strips 5, 6 arranged along the ends of theplate. A central layer-reinforcing strip 7 lies completely embeddedwithin the cast material. In FIG. .1, a portion of the cast material 2has been broken away to show more clearly the formation and arrangementof the reinforcing strips.

The prefabricated units can be manufactured as single plates or inlarger or even endless strips, using flexible material, for exampleplastics. Flexible plates can be rolled for transport and storage andcan be employed on the site according to requirements in flat orsuitably curved form. Where the units are produced in larger lengths,the longitudinally divisible reinforcing strips 7 are situated atright-angles to the direction of the material. When dividing thematerial along these reinforcing strips, single plates can be producedwhich, in turn, are bordered by reinforcing strips. The intervalsbetween the divisible reinforcing strips can best be related to astandard measurement, for example to conform to a construction unit inthe prefabricated housing range contemplated. Naturally, in certaincircumstances either instead of or in addition to, the divisiblereinforcing strips inserted at intervals at right-angles to thelengthwise direction of the material, it is also possible to providelongitudinally divisible reinforcing strips running lengthwise of thematerial, making it possible to divide the unit into strips of suitablewidth in the lengthwise direction of the material. The reinforcingstrips, which are longitudinally divisible, (central-layerreinforcements) are twice the width of the outer edge reinforcing strips3 to 6 so that, after separation, a uniformly strong edge reinforcementor nailable surface is obtained on all sides. To facilitate subsequentseparation, the central-layer reinforcing strips may be suitablyweakened along the predetermined dividing point for example, bylongitudinally located notches, grooves, bore-holes, or similar means.

The reinforcing strips are somewhat thinner than the cast material andthe cast material covers the reinforcing strips on both sides with theinterfaces of the strips and cast material in parallel relation asindicated in FIG. 2. As may be seen from FIG. 1 and still more clearlyfrom FIG. 3, each of the edge-reinforcing strips 3, 4, 5 and 6 isprovided with a series of alternate elongated holes 10 and slit-likeslots 11. The elongated holes 10 are arranged in the central part of thestrips and extend in 3 the longitudinal direction of the strip. Theslots 11 extend at right-angles to the longitudinal direction of thestrip and divide the strip into a series of connected sections 12 whichare integrally joined by means of comparatively narrow webs 13 and 14.Between each successive pair of slots 11 shell-shaped depressions 15 areformed on both faces of the edge-reinforcing strips par-' allel to thebroad faces of the slab of cast material and the elongated holes and theslots 11 lead into these depressions. The depressions terminate a shortdistance from the longitudinal edges 16 and 17 of the reinforcingstrips.

As is evident in FIGS. 1 and 4 the holes 10 and depressions 15 areduplicated in the central reinforcing strip 7.

When manufacturing units in accordance with FIGS. 1 and 2, the edge andcentral layer-reinforcing strips 3 to 7 are first inserted into acasting mould of suitable dimensions. For this purpose, pieces of thereinforcing strip of required length can be taken from the main supply,for example, long bars of reinforcing strip or, if the strip is madefrom a flexible material, from coiled rolls of reinforcing strip, bybreaking them off along the line of slots 11 which serve as points ofweakness. By the use of appropriate spacing units or other means, thereinforcing strips can be arranged at the required distance from thebase of the casting mould so that they will subsequently lie centrallyin the unit 1 as shown in FIG. 2. The cast material 2 is then pouredinto the mould. It passes into the shell-shaped depressions 15 on eitherside of the reinforcing strips and percolates through the holes 10 andthe slots 11. As a result, the reinforcing strips and the cast materialbecome mutually connected. Thus, a thorough joint is formed with thereinforcing strips firmly fixed in position. The shell-shapeddepressions not only receive a portion of cast material, but alsofacilitate penetration of the cast material into the slots 11 and, inparticular, into the elongated holes 10. This ensures an effective gripeven where the consistency of the cast material is pasty or not such asto ensure an easy flow.

After the cast material 2 has set, the finished unit 1 can be removedfrom the mould. Where necessary, the unit can be divided along thecentral layer reinforcing strip so as to obtain two smaller units whichare completely bordered by edge-reinforcing strips.

The reinforcing strips should preferably be made from a material whichcan be nailed and/or screwed, for example, wood, plastics, a woodflour-plastics mixture or similar material, and will have greatermechanical strength than the cast material 2. In this manner, the unitsare provided with a firmness and an effective protection along theiredges. At the same time, assembly surfaces are obtained which ensuresimplicity of attachment of the prefabricated units where they arerequired to be used. Thus, the units can, for example, be nailed,screwed, or glued along the free side edges of the reinforcing strips.

In certain circumstances, it may be suflicient to provide reinforcingstrips only at the corners or at locations coinciding with the desiredassembly surfaces.

In the modified reinforcing strips shown in FIG. 5 (center-layerreinforcement) and FIG. 6 (edge reinforcement) the slots 11 are replacedby cylindrical boreholes 20 which are aligned with the elongated holes10.

FIG. 7 shows a further embodiment having bore-holes 20 in a similar edgereinforcing strip and having further bore-holes 21 and 22 located one ateach side of the hole 20. The bore-holes 21 and 22 compared with theembodiments shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, facilitate division of thereinforcing strip and, at the same time combine to support the anchoringof the strip in the cast material.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a unit in the form of a plate in which reinforcingstrips 25 and 26 have the same thickness as that of the layer of castmaterial, i.e. in which the reinforcing strips are flush with the castmaterial on both sides of the unit.

In order to hold the reinforcing'strips firmly in the cast material, thestrips 25 and 26 are provided with a series of notches 28 extending intothe plate from the longitudinal edge 29 or 30 of the reinforcing stripsfacing the centre of the plate. The notches 28 are circular and increasein width thereby ensuring that the strips are firmly hooked into thecast material. To prevent any mutual movement between the cast materialand the rein forcing strip vertically to the plane of the plate, thenotches 28 extend inwardly from both sides of the reinforcing strips adistance suflicient to leave a web 31 in the centre, which web issandwiched by the cast material, see FIG. 9.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 10 is similar to FIGS. 8 and 9 with theexception that the reinforcing strip 33 projects beyond both sides ofthe layer of cast material 27 so as to provide a flange which in certaincircumstances, facilitates assembly of the unit.

Naturally, provision can also be made in the embodiments according toFIGS. 8, 9 and 10 for central-layer reinforcements which can be dividedlengthwise, whereby larger plates can be subdivided into smaller units.

Units in accordance with the invention are particularly suitable forsound and heat-proofing. At the same time, they can be employed asdividing walls, for facing and for numerous other purposes.

The choice of material for casting and for the reinforcing strips islargely dependent upon the purpose for which the units are intended. Anymaterial which is capable of being cast can, generally speaking, beemployed. Usually, the requirements as to the strength of the castmaterial are not of critical importance, since in any event thereinforcing strips can serve as the supporting framework for the unit.

While I have disclosed the form of mechanism presently preferred by mefor carrying the inventioninto practice, numerous modifications,alterations and substitutions of equivalents will occur to those skilledin the art, after a study of the foregoing specification. Hence thedisclosure should be taken in an illustrative rather than a limitingsense; and it is my desire and intention to reserve all modificationsand substitutions of equivalents within the scope of the subjoinedclaims.

Having now fully disclosed the invention, what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: V V

1. A prefabricated building unit comprising a slab of cast material, anda reinforcement strip embedded in and extending flushly along aperipheral face of said slab; said strip being exposed externally of theslab only within said peripheral face; said strip having a multiplicityof depressions in both those faces parallel to the broad faces of saidslab, each depression of one of said strip faces being in registrationwith a depression of the opposite of said strip faces, the registereddepressions forming pairs; there being a multiplicity of holes through.

said strip, each said hole placing a respective pair of depressions incommunication; said cast material extending into said depressions andsaid holes to unite said cast material and said reinforcing strip; saidstrip being made of nailable and screwable material having greatermechanical strength than said cast material.

2. A prefabricated building unit as claimed in claim 1, there also beinga multiplicity of slots through and transversely across the strips, eachsaid slot lying between and intersecting the ends of two contiguouspairs of depressions and terminating short of the edge of the strip.

3. The unit of claim 1, and an internal reinforcement strip embedded insaid slab away from its side edges, said internal strip comprising adouble row of laterally spaced depressions and holes, each as aforesaid,said slab being divisible along and between said rows.

4. A reinforcing strip for embedding into a building slab of castablematerial, said strip being essentially ribbon-like and having generallyoval depressions in oppo site faces thereof, spaced therealong, eachsaid depression in one face being in registration with a depression inthe opposite face, the registered depressions forming pairs; there beinga multiplicity of holes through said strip, each said hole placing thedeepest locations of a respective pair of depressions in communication;said strip being made of nailable and screWa-ble material, there beingapertures in and extending through said strip, each said aperture lyingbetween and in communication with each of two successive pairs ofrecesses.

5. The reinforcing strip as claimed in claim 4, said apertures being inthe form of slots extending transversely of the strip and terminatingshort of the respective edges thereof, said holes being elongatedlongitudinally of the strip and being symmetrically disposed, eachbetween a successive pair of slots.

6. The strip as claimed in claim 5, said strip including a double row ofsaid recesses, slots and holes, as aforesaid, in parallellaterally-spaced side-by-side rows, said strip being separable betweensaid rows.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,098,792 6/1914, Ficklen 52-601X 2,360,978 11/1920 Steude 52601 X 1,399,088 12/1921 Seymour 52601 X1,445,813 2/1923 Armstrong 52-601 X 1,473,320 6/1923 Ripper 526201,637,215 7/1927 Coppock 52601 1,989,798 2/1935 Foster 52-601 2,083,0556/1937 Coddington 52601 X 2,184,146 12/1939 Leguillon 52-601 X 2,478,8218/1949 Gunnison 526l5 2,825,999 3/ 1958 Dompieri 52624 3,107,377 10/1963Nathan 52396 X 3,124,501 3/1964 Wise H 52624 X 3,233,379 3/1964 Zagray52-396 DAVID it. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

20 DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Examiner.

